Automatic winding means for talking-machines.



H. R. VAN DEVENTER. AUTOMATIC wmome MEANS FOR'TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. I918.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

awuemtm I UNITED STATES PATENT OFF on.

HARRY RANDOLPH VAN DEVENTER, or SUMTER, sop'rn CAROLINA, assrenon To SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC WINDING MEAN S FOR TALKING-MACHIN ES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed October 12, 1914, Serial No. 866,270. Divided and this application fi1ed-March 22,

1918. Serial No. 223,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. VAN DE- vENTER, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic \Vinding Means for Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing. 1

The invention relates to automatic winding means for talking machines and contemplate; the provision f mechanical means that canbe attached to the ordinary talking machine provided with the manual winding devices whereby'w-ithout interfering with said manual devices the machine may be automatically wound.

An object of the invention is to provide a talking machine with a winding means and an automatic control, including a rotating member which is moved in one direction by a moving part of the talking machine and which is moved in the other direction by a motor.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view partly in section showing an attachment for a disk talking machine embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, showing one form of controlling means; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the clutch connection between the wheel driven by the table and theshaft which operates the controlling mechanism.

The presentinvention is a division of my prior application, Serial No. 866,270, filed October 12th, 1914, wherein the invention is claimed v broadly. The present specific form of the invention is shown applied-to a talking machine including a case 1 in which is located the usual mechanism for operating the vertical shaft 2 which carries the table 3 on which the disk records, 1nd]- cated at i, are placed. The motor for driv ing the table is wound by the usual manually operated shaft 5. This shaft has a crank 6 which may be turned by the operator for winding the motor which operates the record table and after the motor is properly wound then this shaft remains stationary while the motor ls-running. .As a

the pinion 8 is a friction clutch'lO to prevent overwinding of the motor of the talking machine. f

As a controlling means for rendering the motor 9 operative and t for stopping the same, I have provided the record table'with' a projecting finger 11. This projecting fingerv 11 is adapted to engage a star wheel 12and rotate the star wheel one step at each rotation of the record table. 'Thestar wheel 12 is mounted loosely on the shaft 13 journaled Patented Aug. 13.1918.

in suitable bearings in the casing 1- which is clamped to the casing machine. The shaft 13 has'fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 14*. A pawl 15 is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 16. This pawl and ratchet are so disposed that the movements of the table 3 will cause the shaft to rotate but any'movemerit of the shaft 13' will cause the ratchet wheel to rotate underneath the pawl and will not in any way affect the table.

The shaft 13, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2, is adapted to be rotated by a motor, indicated diagrammatically at- 17. The shaft 13 is. provided with a worm gear 18 which meshes with a gear wheel 19. This gear wheel 19 is the control wheel and is provided with a metal plate 20. Two brushes 21 and '22 are associated with this metal plate 20 on the controlling wheel 19. jWhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2,'the plate 20 connects the brushes 21 and 22. A line 23 leads from the main source of current supply to the brush 21. The brush 22 is connected with a line 2i leading to the motor 17 and a line 25 leading to the motor 9. A

1' and the 1 of the talking the motors 9 and 17 will be energized and will operate. The motor 9 through the gear wheel 8 and the gear wheel 7 will turn the shaft 5 and wind the motor proper of the talking machine.v The motor 17 will turn the shaft 13 and through the worm gear 18, rotate the controlling gear 19 in the opposite direction from that rotated by the table 3 and thus bring the plate 20 to the point so that the brushes 21 and 22 are disconnected. This breaks the circuit on both motors and stops further winding of the motor proper of the talking machine' It will thus be seen that ifthe table 3 is rotated through a certain number of revolutions the controlling wheel 19 will be turned to a point for causing the motor 9 to wind the main motor of the talking machine and after it has been wound suiiiciently to continue the operation of the table 3, then the motor will be automatically cut otfre';

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided an automatic means for wind ing the motor proper of a talking machine, which automatic means is controlled by a controlling wheel driven in one direction by a moving part of the talking machine and in the other direction by an independent motor which on the one hand is an electric motor and on the other is a spring motor. I am thus able to keep the main spring actuating the talking machine wound withoutany attention being necessary on the part of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new" and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An attachmentfor spring motor op-' erated talking machines of the motor 111- closed type, including in combination, an inclosed electric motor located outside of the casing of the talking-machine, driving connections between the electric motor and the normal spring winding shaft, and controlling means located outside of the casing for controlling the operation of the electric motor whereby said electric motor automaticallv maintains said spring motor wound, said controlling means including a controlling wheel, devices whereby said controlling wheel is moved in one direction by a moving part of the talking machine for establishing the electric circuit leading to the electric motor and devices whereby said controlling wheel is autonmtically moved in the oppositedirection for breaking said circuit.

2. An attachment for spring motor operated talking machines of the motor inclos'ed type including in combination an inclosed electric motor located outside of the casing of the talking machine, driving connections between the electric motor and the normal spring winding shaft and controlling means located outside of the casing for controlling the operation of the electric motor whereby said electric motor automatically maintains said spring motor wound. said controlling means including a controlling wheel having a contact plate, brushes adapted to be connected by said plate when the wheel is moved in one direction through a moving part of the talking machine and independent devices for moving the wheel automatically in the opposite direction for causing said con-.

tact plate to move from connection with the brushes and an electric circuit for the electric motor controlled by said brushes.

An attachment for spring motor operated talking machines of the motor inclosed type including in combination, an inclosed electric motor located outside of the casing .of the talking machine, driving connections between the electric motor and the normal spring winding shaft and controlling means located outside of the casing for controlling the operation of the electric motor whereby said electric motor automatically maintains said spring motor wound, said controlling means including a star wheel operated in one direction by a moving part of the machine, a shaft having a ratchet connection with said star wheel whereby it is moved with the star wheel when operated by the talking machine. a controlling wheel operated by said shaft and devices whereby said controlling wheel makes and breaks the electric circuit for the electric motor and means for turning the controlling wheel independent of the movements of the talking machine for breaking the electric connection to the 100 motor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY RANDOLPH VAN DEVENTER. 

